Late last week, the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works released their draft of the surface transportation authorization bill, the law that will determine transportation programs and funding.

The Federal Highway Administration is seeking input into which critical areas of research they should invest their limited Surface Transportation Environment and Planning (STEP) Cooperative Research Program funds – and one of the focus areas is bicycle and pedestrian research.

Thanks to all of you who contacted your Senators, Senator Rand Paul's (R-KY) amendment that would have diverted Transportation Enhancement funds to bridge repairs, was soundly defeated. Transportation Enhancements are a key source of funding for bicycling and walking infrastructure.

Senator Rand Paul is proposing legislation that would take away the small amount of money that goes to bicycling programs and redirect it to bridge maintenance. It would be just a tiny drop in the bucket and it won't even begin to solve the problems with our bridges.